A deadly Instagram drug deal has landed a Gaithersburg man in federal court, where he admitted Monday to selling the fentanyl that prosecutors say killed a 15-year-old girl. Kelvin Reyes, 27, pleaded guilty to distributing the drug after the teen contacted him on social media. Under the plea agreement, prosecutors are recommending a sentence of 12 to 17 years, with formal sentencing set for September. The case has reignited alarm among local officials about how easily minors can access powerful synthetic opioids in Montgomery County.
How prosecutors say the deal unfolded
According to federal prosecutors, the 15-year-old messaged Reyes on Instagram late on Jan. 13, 2023, and arranged to meet him the next morning near an elementary school close to her Montgomery County home. Investigators say cellphone records placed Reyes at the agreed spot, and the teen's home doorbell camera captured her leaving and returning within roughly three minutes.
Later that day, the girl was found unresponsive at home, with a burnt piece of aluminum foil and residue nearby. An autopsy determined that she died of fentanyl and despropionyl fentanyl intoxication, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Maryland.
"As a result of Reyes's callous actions and disregard for human life, a 15-year-old girl is dead," U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes said in the statement.
Prosecutors say a Jan. 24, 2023, search of Reyes's residence turned up a digital scale, orange zip-top bags, foil, and other items they describe as drug-distribution paraphernalia. According to the same release, Reyes later posted on Instagram that he was driving around selling fentanyl.
Plea terms and what comes next
The charge Reyes pleaded to carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison. Under the plea agreement, however, both sides will recommend a sentence between 12 and 17 years if the court accepts the deal. U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman has scheduled sentencing for Thursday, Sept. 17, according to reporting by The Baltimore Banner.
Prosecutors credited the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Montgomery County Police Department with leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Sarma is handling the prosecution.
Why it matters in Maryland
The case lands in the middle of Maryland's ongoing fight with fentanyl, which remains a driving force behind overdose deaths. A recently updated state dashboard recorded more than 1,200 overdose deaths in a recent 12-month period, with 873 linked to fentanyl. Montgomery County saw 78 overdose deaths in that same span, underscoring how high the stakes are locally, according to The Daily Record, which summarized data from the Maryland Department of Health.
Public health officials say expanded RAD drug-checking data can help identify dangerous batches more quickly, even as dealers adapt and move deeper into social media. Prosecutors have framed the Reyes case as a warning about traffickers who target or are willing to sell to minors online, while health officials continue to urge parents to talk openly with teens about drugs and to keep naloxone on hand.
For more information on overdose prevention and the state dashboard, visit the Maryland Department of Health's Maryland Department of Health.
